Container system having a base convertible from a flat sheet to a three-dimensional receptacle

ABSTRACT

A container having a base member that is convertible from a substantially flat, collapsed condition to a three-dimensional container shape, and a rigid rim member that couples to an exposed upper edge of the base when converted to the three-dimensional container shape to impart strength, rigidity, and weight bearing characteristics to the container. A lid can be received on the rigid rim member. The container construction permits the display, storage, and transportation of large quantities of containers in relatively small volumes of space. The containers are also water resistant.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to container systems and, more specifically, to container systems featuring a base which may be folded, or otherwise unfurled, from a flat sheet, or other compact form, into a usable three-dimensional container shape, and which is collapsible to facilitate bulk transport and bulk display.

BACKGROUND

Conventional storage containers occupy a great deal of space on retail shelves. Much of the space occupied by storage containers is the empty inside volume of each of the containers. The containers are also cumbersome for consumers to transport home from a place of purchase. Recent strides have been made in the area of nested solutions for increasing the number of storage containers that can be displayed for purchase on a given footprint of retail shelf space. However, even nestable storage containers occupy a significant volume of space and are difficult to transport. It would be desirable if a container were available that was easier to transport and occupied less retail shelf space than conventional storage containers.

Conventional storage containers are also generally aesthetically bland. Injection molded plastic storage containers are typically available only in single colors. The shape of existing injection molded plastic storage containers renders them unsuited to applying multiple colors or patterns to the containers. Lids for the storage boxes are also typically injection molded, and also usually only available in single colors. It would be desirable if a container could be provided that could be easily printed with aesthetically pleasing patterns.

An additional drawback of conventional injection molded storage containers is the quantity of material required for their manufacture. It would be desirable if a container could be provided that could be manufactured with significantly less material than conventional injection molded storage containers, while maintaining sufficient strength, rigidity, and stackability.

While there have been corrugated cardboard containers that are manufactured as flat sheets and folded into three-dimensional container shapes, such containers have little resistance to water. This is due in part to the porous corrugated cardboard material, but also due to holes left open at lower corners of the containers once the sidewalls of the corrugated cardboard sheet are folded up to form the three-dimensional container shape. It would be desirable if a container could be provided that had the aforementioned desired characteristics, but that is also water resistant.

SUMMARY

A container system includes a base member that is manufactured as a flat extruded plastic sheet, foldable or otherwise formable (such as by unfurling) into a three-dimensional container shape to form an article-receiving receptacle, and a rigid rim member that is received on an exposed upper edge of the base member when folded (or otherwise formed) into its container shape. In an exemplary embodiment, fold lines are imparted to the extruded plastic sheet that forms the base member, for example by providing score lines in the extruded plastic sheet, in order to facilitate folding the sheet into its three-dimensional container shape, and to facilitate collapsing the base back into either a partially folded or fully unfolded condition.

In this exemplary embodiment, the fold lines may be arranged on the flat sheet such that a central portion of the sheet defines a floor of the container when folded into the three-dimensional container shape. Side walls of the container are defined by portions of the sheet extending perpendicularly outward from the central portion. Each corner of the flat sheet may be provided with a slanted fold line such that, when the sheet is folded into the three-dimensional container shape, two of the corners may be folded against an outside of one of the sidewalls, and another two of the corners may be folded against an outside of an opposite sidewall, while providing a continuous exposed upper edge of the base member. When folded into the three-dimensional container shape, there are no openings along the bottom of the container. This provides resistance to water, advantageously avoiding leakage into or out of the container.

The base may take many alternate forms, such as a collapsible spiral-shaped structure that expands upon rotation, or a compact structure which may be unfurled to take on a three-dimensional shape.

The rigid rim member includes rim walls that, when the rigid rim member is installed on the base member, may extend around an exterior of an upper perimeter of the base member. The rigid rim member may further include a ledge projecting laterally inwardly from the rim walls. Extending downward from an inner perimeter of the laterally inwardly projecting ledge of the rigid rim member are a plurality of retention tab members. These retention tab members project outwardly, i.e. in a direction toward an exterior of the container; in other words, in a direction toward an inner surface of each of the rim walls. The inner surfaces of each of the rim walls include inwardly-directed (i.e., toward an interior of the container) securement buttons or snaps, which are horizontally offset from the outwardly-directed retention tab members. The sidewalls of the base member may be provided with apertures arranged to facilitate receipt of the inwardly-directed securement snaps when the rigid rim member is installed on the base member.

The outwardly-directed retention tab members bias the upper perimeter of the base member against the inside surfaces of the rim walls, ensuring a secure engagement of the outwardly-directed securement buttons or snaps in the apertures of the sidewalls of the base member.

Where the base member is of the form of a sheet folded into a three-dimensional container shape, the thickness of the side walls of the base member against which the corners of the sheet are folded when folding the base member into a three-dimensional container shape may be approximately triple the thickness of the two sidewalls of the base member against which no corners of the sheet are folded. This is due to the fact that, depending on the directions in which the corners are folded, the sidewalls against which the corners are folded include three layers of the sheet material, while the other sidewalls include only a single sheet.

To accommodate this difference, the outwardly-directed retention tab members and the securement buttons or snaps of the ends of the rigid rim member that engage the sidewalls of the base member against which corners of the sheet are folded may be spaced a greater distance from one another than the retention tab members and securement buttons or snaps of the ends of the rigid rim member that engage the sides of the base member against which no corners of the sheet are folded. In a similar fashion, the retention tab members and the securement buttons or snaps may be spaced at varying distance from one another to accommodate other variances in thicknesses or number of layers of the sheet material to be secured via the retention tab members and the securement buttons or snaps.

The rigid rim member may be constructed such that its rim walls extend around an interior of the upper perimeter of the base member, rather than around the exterior of the upper perimeter. In such a construction, the ledge of the rim walls projects laterally outwardly, and the retention tab members extend downward from an outer perimeter of the ledge. The securement buttons or snaps are provided on an outer surface of the rim walls, and the retention tab members bias the upper perimeter of the base member inwardly toward the securement snaps.

To facilitate assembly of the container system, the corners of the exemplary embodiment of the base member formed of a foldable sheet may be adapted to receive a clip to secure two of the corners to one another along the outside of one of the sidewalls. When applied to both pairs of corners, the clip serves to maintain the three-dimensional container shape until the rigid rim is installed on the exposed upper edge. Alternatively, the sheet may have one or more bosses formed therein, and complementary apertures to receive the one or more bosses, in portions of the sheet that are folded into an overlapping relationship with one another. As the sheet is folded into a three dimensional container shape, each of the one or more bosses is first aligned with, then inserted through, the complementary apertures, serving to maintain the three-dimensional container shape until the rigid rim is installed on the exposed upper edge. The bosses may be formed in the sheet in an operation performed simultaneously with the imparting of score lines, or other fold lines, in the sheet, and with the punching or cutting of any apertures, tabs, or tongues in the sheet.

The rigid rim member may also be adapted to receive a container lid thereon. The lid serves to cover any contents of the container. The lid may be formed of an extruded sheet that is foldable into a three-dimensional form which is complementary to the rigid rim member. The rigid rim member serves to support weight of a like container stacked thereon.

Because the base member of the container system may be formed as a flat extruded sheet, the sheet may be printed with aesthetically pleasing patterns. These and other features of the container system of the present disclosure will be more fully appreciated with reference to the several views of the drawing and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a base member of a container system of the present disclosure, in an unfolded, collapsed condition;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the base member of FIG. 1, taken along lines A-A of FIG. 1, showing a score line imparted to the base from a first direction;

FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the base member of FIG. 1, taken along lines B-B of FIG. 1, showing a score line imparted to the base, with the score line being formed from a second direction;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the container system shown in FIG. 1, in its folded condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fully assembled container system of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a base of a container system of the present disclosure, in a collapsed, partially folded condition;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the container system shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a clip for use with the container system shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a base member of the container system having integral bosses in at least one wall thereof, illustrating one of the integral bosses received in complimentary apertures of walls of a first flap that are in overlapping relationship with the wall having the bosses, and showing a second flap yet to be folded into overlapping relationship with the wall having the bosses;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a rigid rim member of the container system shown in FIGS. 3 and 5;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view, taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9, of the rigid rim member shown in FIG. 9, in combination with a base member;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken along lines 11-11 of FIG. 9, of the rigid rim member shown in FIG. 9, in combination with a base member;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 11, with phantom lines illustrating a manner in which overlapped layers forming an end wall of the base member may be removed form engagement with the rigid rim member;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a first alternate embodiment of a rigid rim member of a container system of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of a rigid rim member of a container system of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of an alternate base member of the container system of the present disclosure, in an unfolded, collapsed condition;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 11, of a rigid rim member engaged with overlapping sheets of an end wall of the alternate base member shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a front plan view of a retail display showing a plurality of conventional container systems;

FIG. 18 is a front plan view of a retail display showing a plurality of container systems of the present disclosure;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a container system of the present disclosure wherein two base members are engaged with a common rigid rim member and lid so as to form a container having two compartments;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a container system of the present disclosure wherein two base members of different depths are engaged with a common rigid rim member and lid so as to form a container having two compartments of different depths;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a container system of the present disclosure wherein three base members, at least two of which having different depths, are engaged with a common rigid rim member and lid, so as to form a container having three compartments of at least two different depths; and

FIG. 22 is a cross-section, partially broken away, taken along lines 22-22 of FIG. 10 of a rigid rim member engaged with at least two base members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The base member 10 of a container 12 may be provided in the form of a substantially flat generally rectangular sheet 14. The sheet 14 may be formed of a sheet of extruded plastic film material. The sheet 14 may have a thickness less than 0.075 inch, but other thicknesses of the sheet 14 are also within the scope of the present disclosure. As an alternate material, the sheet 14 may be formed of a fabric with a stiffener additive. As shown in FIG. 1, at least two latitudinal fold lines 16, 18 spaced a predetermined distance from one another, and at least two longitudinal fold lines 20, 22 spaced a predetermined distance from one another, may be imparted to the sheet 14, such as by scoring or otherwise forming grooves along the sheet 14. A central region 24 of the sheet 14 forms a bottom of the container 12 when the sheet 14 is folded into a three-dimensional container shape to form an article-receiving receptacle. Alternatively, the base member 10 may take other compact forms which are deployable into a three-dimensional container shape. For example, the base member may be provided in the form of a collapsible, spiral-shaped structure that expands upon rotation, or a compact structure which may be unfurled to take on a three-dimensional shape forming the receptacle.

In the embodiment of the base member 10 depicted in FIGS. 1-4, the relative locations of the latitudinal fold lines 16, 18 and longitudinal fold lines 20, 22 of the sheet 14 may be selected to correspond to the desired depth, width, and length of the base member 10 when folded into a three-dimensional shape. A relatively deep or tall three-dimensional base member 10 could thus be formed by providing a relatively smaller central region 24. If a relatively shorter or shallower base member 10, with relatively greater length and/or width were desired, the latitudinal fold lines 16, 18 and longitudinal fold lines may be located so as to define a central region 24 having a relatively greater surface area.

In each corner area of the sheet 14, a diagonal fold line 26, 28, 30, 32 may be imparted to the sheet 14, such as by scoring or otherwise forming a diagonal groove along the sheet 14. Each fold line 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 30, 32 forms a living hinge along which portions of the sheet 14 may be folded or unfolded.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B, certain of the score lines, or portions thereof, are formed from a first direction, such as from above the sheet 14, and other of the score lines, or portions thereof, are formed from a second direction, such as from below the sheet 14. When a score line is formed from the first direction, as shown in FIG. 1A, one of the portions of the sheet 14 can fold upward toward the other portion of the sheet adjoined thereto along the score line through approximately 90°, and can fold downward through approximately 180°, as indicated in broken lines. In contrast, when a score line is formed from the second direction, as shown in FIG. 1B, one of the portions of the sheet 14 can fold upward toward the other portion of the sheet 14 adjoined therewith at the score line through approximately 180°, and can fold downwardly through approximately 90°. These constraints on the range through which adjoining portions of the sheets 14 can fold facilitate a user's folding of the base member 10 into its three dimensional shape.

The regions 34, 36 of the sheet 14 bounded by the latitudinal fold lines 16, 18 and outside of the central region 24 of the sheet 14 form first and second sidewalls 38, 40 of the container 12 when the sheet 14 is folded into a three-dimensional container shape. The regions 42, 44 of the sheet 14 bounded by the longitudinal fold lines 20, 22 and outside of the central region 24 of the sheet 14 form third and fourth sidewalls 46, 48 of the container 12 when the sheet 14 is folded into a three-dimensional container shape.

Once the first and second sidewalls 38, 40 and third and fourth sidewalls 46, 48 are folded into upright orientation relative to the central region 24 of the sheet 14, the corner areas of the sheet 14 form flaps 50, 52, 54, 56. First and second flaps 50, 52 are folded toward one another along an exterior side of fourth sidewall 48. Third and fourth flaps 54, 56 are folded toward one another along an exterior side of the third sidewall 46. The fold lines 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 30, 32 may permit, or even be imparted so as to facilitate, alternative folding arrangements for the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56. For instance, the first and second flaps 50, 52 may be folded toward one another along an interior side of fourth sidewall 48, and/or the third and fourth flaps 54, 56 may be folded toward one another along an interior side of the third sidewall 46. As further alternatives, the first flap 50 and third flap 54 may be folded toward one another along either an interior side or an exterior side of the first sidewall 38, and the second flap 52 and fourth flap 56 may be folded toward one another along either an interior side or an exterior side of the second sidewall 40. The flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 could even be folded along the sidewalls 38, 40, 46, 48 in an alternating fashion, with each of one or more of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 being folded along an interior side of one of the sidewalls 38, 40, 46, 48, and each of the remaining flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 being folded along an exterior side of one of the sidewalls 38, 40, 46, 48. Thus, the sheet 14 permits various folding arrangements, all of which achieve a three-dimensional container shape.

Each of the diagonal fold lines 26, 28, 30, 32 along the corner areas of the sheet 14 may extend between a corner of the central region 24 and an endpoint 58, 60, 62, 64 formed by a right-angled notch or cut-out at each corner of an outer perimeter of the sheet 14. The endpoint 58 is located at an intersection of two edges 66, 68 formed by one such right-angled notch or cut-out. The corner area on which the diagonal fold line 30 is located is folded to form the second flap 52, bringing the two edges 66, 68 into registered alignment with one another.

In a similar fashion, the endpoint 60 may be located at an intersection of two edges 70, 72 formed by another right-angled notch or cut-out. The corner area on which the diagonal fold line 32 is located is folded to form the first flap 50, bringing the two edges 70, 72 into registered alignment with one another. When the first flap 50 and second flap 52 are folded toward one another along an exterior side of the fourth sidewall 48, the aligned edges 70, 72 of the first flap 50 are parallel to the aligned edges 66, 68 of the second flap 52. More preferably, the aligned edges 70, 72 abut the aligned edges 66, 68 of the second flap 52.

Although the base member 10 has a three-dimensional container shape, the flat sheet 14 used to form the base member 10 may be printed in desired colors or patterns in a manner far easier than other containers, because the sheet 14 is formed as flat, extruded material, as opposed to a three-dimensional shape.

Once the sheet 14 is folded into its three-dimensional container shape, a rigid rim member 74 is installed on an exposed upper edge of each of the sidewalls 38, 40, 42, 44 and of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56. The rigid rim member 74 is provided with a plurality of rim walls 76, as shown in FIG. 9. In a preferred embodiment, the rim walls 76 extend about an exterior of an upper perimeter of the base member 10, and an inwardly-directed lateral ledge 78, as shown in FIGS. 9-11. In this manner, the rigid rim member 74 is received on the exposed upper edge of the sidewalls of the base member 10. A plurality of retention tab members 80 extend downward from a distal end of the lateral ledge 78 of the rigid rim member 74, i.e., in this embodiment, from an inner perimeter of the inwardly-directed lateral ledge 78. Each of the retention tab members 80 projects outwardly, i.e. in a direction toward an inner surface of each of the rim walls 76. The inner surfaces of each of the rim walls 76 include inwardly-directed securement snaps 82. The snaps 82 are horizontally offset from the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80. The side walls 38, 40, 42, 44 of the base member are provided with apertures 84 near an outer perimeter of the sheet 14, which are arranged to facilitate receipt of the inwardly-directed securement snaps 82 when the rigid rim member 74 is installed on the base member 10.

The outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 bias the upper perimeter of the base member 10 against the inside surfaces of the rim walls 76, ensuring a secure engagement of the inwardly-directed securement buttons or snaps 82 in the apertures 84 of the sidewalls of the base member. The retention tab members 80 and/or the securement snaps 82 may be sloped, contoured, or tapered to facilitate insertion and removal of the rigid rim member 74 on the upper exposed edges of the sidewalls of the base member 10. This secure engagement imparts rigidity to the side walls 38, 40, 42, 44 of the base member.

Along two opposing rim walls 76 of the rigid rim member 74, an outer surface 81 of each of the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 is spaced inwardly from an innermost edge 83 of the snaps 82 a sufficient distance to accommodate the thickness of one layer of the sheet 14 between them. Along the other two opposing rim walls 76, an outer surface 81 of the each of the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 is spaced inwardly from an innermost edge 83 of the snaps 82 a sufficient distance to accommodate the thickness of three layers 48, 100, 102 of the sheet 14.

If the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 of the sheet 14 are to be folded into one of the alternate configurations, described above, for example wherein each flap 50, 52, 54, 56 is folded along a different sidewall 38, 40, 46, 48, the spacing between the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 and the innermost edge 83 of the snaps 82 is preferably selected to accommodate the given folding configuration of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56. This is due to the fact that, over each portion of the sidewalls 38, 40, 46, 48 one of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 is folded along, the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 and the innermost edge 83 of the snaps 82 must accommodate three layers of material of the sheet 14 (i.e., the two layers forming one of the flaps, and the layer of the sidewall along which the flap is folded).

By contrast, over each portion of the sidewalls 38, 40, 46, 48 where there is no flap, the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 and the innermost edge 83 of the snaps 82 of the rigid rim member 74 only has to accommodate a single layer of material of the sheet 14, namely the layer of the sidewall. It is desired to vary the spacing of the outwardly-directed retention tab members 80 and the innermost edge 83 of the snaps 82 to correlate to the number of layers of the sheet 14 to be received therebetween, so as to achieve the most secure connection between the rigid rim member 14 and the base member 10.

As shown in phantom lines in FIG. 12, when it is desired to remove the rigid rim member 74 from the base 10, the rigid rim member 74 and layers 48, 100, 102 of the sheet 14 deflect sufficiently to permit withdrawal of the snaps 82 from the apertures 84, upon which the rigid rim member 74 may be pulled up, in the direction of the vertical arrow in FIG. 12, and off of the base 10.

The rigid rim member 74 may alternately be constructed such that its rim walls 76 extend around an interior of the upper perimeter of the base member 10, rather than around the exterior of the upper perimeter. In such a construction, the lateral ledge 78 of the rim walls 76 projects laterally outwardly, and the retention tab members 80 extend downward from an outer perimeter of the lateral ledge 78. The securement snaps 82 are provided on an outer surface of the rim walls 74, and the retention tab members 80 bias the upper perimeter of the base member 10 inwardly toward the securement snaps.

The rigid rim member 74 defines an opening 86. The rigid rim member 74 adds strength and rigidity to the three-dimensional container shape formed by the folded sheet 14. The rigid rim member 74 may be made of injection molded plastic, wood, metal, mesh, glass, wire, or other suitable rigid material. The rigid rim member 74 can receive a lid 88. The lid 88 may be made of injection molded plastic, or may be extruded plastic film, or may be a hybrid of an injection molded plastic portion and an extruded plastic portion. When formed from a sheet of material such as extruded plastic film, the lid 88 can easily be printed in desired colors or patterns, similar to the sheet 14 used to form the base member 10 of the container 12. Alternate materials for forming the lid 88 include injection molded plastic, wood, metal, mesh, glass, and wire.

The inner perimeter of the laterally inwardly-directed lateral ledge 78 of the rigid rim member 74 may be provided with an upwardly-directed lip 89 and the rim walls 76 may be provided with an extension portion 90 projecting upward from the inwardly-directed ledge 78. For ease of manufacturing of the rigid rim member 74, the upwardly-directed lip 89 may be arranged in a co-planar relationship with an inner wall 92 of the retention tab members 80. The rigid rim member 74 and base member 10 may be sized such that the upwardly-directed lips 88 of opposing side walls 76 of the rigid rim member 74 can receive hooks (not shown) of hanging file folders (not shown) to facilitate organization of, for example, documents within the container. By way of example only, the rigid rim member 74 and base member 10 may be sized and shaped so as to provide a width dimension to support hanging file folders for letter-sized files on a first pair of opposing upwardly-directed lips 89, and to provide a length dimension to support hanging file folders for legal-sized files on a second pair of opposing upwardly-directed lips 89.

The base member 10 is resistant to water or other liquids passing into or out of the container 12. There are no holes or incongruous gaps through which liquid may pass along the perimeter of the bottom of the container 12 defined by the central portion 24 of the sheet 14.

When folded into its three-dimensional container shape, the structural rigidity of the base member 10 alone is not adequate to support the weight of other containers stacked on the base member 10, or to resist deformation due to contents of the container 12. However, when a rigid rim member 74 is provided, the base member 10 is rendered much stronger and can withstand significant loads, including loads imparted by additional like containers 12 stacked thereon, as well as resist deformation due to contents of the container 12. Thus, the rigid rim member 74 provides the base member 10 of the container 12 with vastly increased weight bearing capacity. However, because the base member 10 requires little material as compared to conventional injection molded containers, there is a significant savings in materials, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

The sheet 14 may also be manufactured in a wide range of sizes, simply by adjusting locations of cutting and/or punching operations used in conjunction with extrusion machinery. By contrast, in order to provide conventional injection molded containers in an array of sizes, it is necessary for a manufacturer to procure multiple molding cavities, at significant cost.

After the sheet 14 is folded into its three-dimensional container shape, but prior to insertion of the exposed upper edge of each of the sidewalls 38, 40, 42, 44 and of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 between the retention tab members 80 and securement snaps 82 of the rigid rim member 74, it may be necessary to hold the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 against the interior or exterior side of the third and fourth sidewalls 46, 48 (or other sidewalls 38, 40 along which the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 may be folded) to avoid the sheet 14 unfolding to a collapsed condition. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, in order to maintain the three-dimensional container shape of the sheet 14 prior to installation of the rigid rim member 74, a first clip member 94 may be applied to the flaps 50, 52 and a second clip member 94 may be applied to the flaps 54, 56. To facilitate application of the clip members 94, apertures 96, 98 may be provided in the corner areas of the sheet 14 which form the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56. The apertures 96, 98 are located such that, when the corner areas are folded to form the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56, the aperture 96 on a given portion 100 of the sheet 14 aligns with the aperture 98 on an overlapping portion 102 of the sheet 14. Additional apertures 104 are provided in the regions 34, 36 of the sheet 14 bounded by the latitudinal fold lines 16, 18 and outside of the central region 24 of the sheet 14, such that when the sheet 14 is folded into its three-dimensional container shape, the aligned apertures 96, 98 of each of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 align with one of the apertures 104 formed in the first or second sidewalls 38, 40 of the container 12.

Each of the clip members 94 is provided with a plurality of projections 106 having a plurality of radially-outwardly directed retaining teeth 108 at distal ends thereof. As one of the clip members 94 is pressed toward a pair of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56, each of the projections 106 is inserted into a set of the apertures 96, 98 until the radially-outwardly directed retaining teeth 108 pass through the apertures 96, 98 and through aperture 104, catching on an interior portion of one of the sidewalls 46, thereby securing the clip member 94 in an engaged relationship with two of the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56. By securing clip members 94 to both pairs of flaps 50, 52, 54, 56, the base member 10 formed by the sheet 14 is secured in a folded three-dimensional container shaped condition even before the rigid rim member 74 is applied. Each of the clip members 94 may also be provided with a flat outer surface 110 to receive indicia thereon, such as a label, which may be used, for example, to identify contents of the container.

As an alternative to the clip members 94, a boss 112, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, may be imparted to the sheet 14 at a location that is folded into an overlapping arrangement with other portions of the sheet 14 when folded into a three dimensional container shape, such as in portions of the sheet 14 forming sidewalls 46, 48, and complementary apertures 114 may be provided in the other portions of the sheet 14 which are brought into the overlapping arrangement with the portion of the sheet 14 in which the boss 112 is provided. Upon folding the sheet 14 into the three-dimensional container shape, the boss 112 may be inserted through the complementary apertures 114, which serves to hold the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 against the exterior (or interior) side of the third and fourth sidewalls 46, 48 to avoid the sheet 14 unfolding to a collapsed condition. If the flaps 50, 52, 54, 56 are to be folded along one or more of the other sidewalls 38, 40, the boss 112 may be positioned in such other sidewalls 38, 40.

The rigid rim member 74 may be formed as one integral part, as shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, the rigid rim member 74′ may take the form of two symmetric, generally C-shaped members 116, 118. As a further alternate, as shown in FIG. 14, the rigid rim member 74″ may take the form of two asymmetric members 120, 122.

To facilitate carrying the container 12, the rigid rim member 74, 74′, 74″ may be provided with a handle portion 124, which may be an integral portion of the rigid rim member 74, 74′, 74″.

As shown in FIG. 15, an alternate design of the sheet 126 includes punching or otherwise forming a plurality of elongate tabs or tongues 128, each in various locations near the outer perimeter of the sheet 126. When the sheet 126 is folded into three-dimensional shape to form a base, the tabs or tongues 128 are positioned near the upper perimeter of the base. Referring now to FIG. 16, the engagement of overlapping layers of the sheet 126 with a rigid rim member 130 is shown. A rim wall 132 of the rigid rim member 130 includes a plurality of securement snaps 134 projecting laterally inward, i.e. toward a center of the rigid rim member 130. When the rigid rim member 130 engages the upper perimeter of the base, the securement snaps 134 push the tongues 128 of the layer 100 of the sheet 126 closest to the rim wall 132 inwardly. Along the sidewalls of the base where there are overlapping layers of the sheet 126, i.e. where the flaps of the base are folded against the sidewalls of the base, the tongues 128 of the layer 100 are aligned with the tongues 128 of the layers 102 and 48 in overlapping relationship with the layer 100. As a result, when the securement snaps 134 push the tongues 128 of the layer 100 of the sheet 126 closest to the rim wall 132 inwardly, the tongues 128 of the layer 100, in turn, push the tongues 128 of the layer 102 inwardly. Likewise, the tongues 128 of the layer 102 push the tongues 128 of the layer 48 inwardly. Thus, the securement snaps 134 need not be of such depth as to pass through apertures in all three overlapping layers of the sheets 100, 102, and 48. Rather, to save material, the securement snaps 134 need only be of sufficient depth to push the tongues 128 of the layer 100 into the tongues 128 of the layer 102, which in turn push the tongues 128 of layer 48.

Retention tab members 136 project downwardly from an inner perimeter of an inwardly-projecting ledge 138 of the rigid rim member 130. These retention tab members bias the portions of the sheet 126 above the tongues 128 against an inner surface of the rim wall 132.

The container 12 is disassembled (such as for storage or transportation) in an easy manner by removing the rigid rim member 74, 74′, 74″ from the base member 10 and collapsing the base member 10 to a partially folded condition, as shown in FIG. 4, or a fully unfolded condition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 15. The lid 88 may be removed from the rigid rim member 74, 74′, 74″ prior to removal of the rigid rim member 74, 74′, 74″ from the base member 10. If the optional clip members 94 are utilized, it is necessary to remove the clip members 94 from the base member 10 prior to collapsing the base member 10.

After the sheet 14 or 126 is extruded, the sheet 14 or 126 may be processed utilizing a variety of techniques and combinations of techniques. For example, the sheet 14 or 126 may be fed into a single station in which ram tools are provided to form the fold lines 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 30, 32 and punches are provided to form the apertures 84, 96, 98, 114 or tongues 128. In addition, any bosses 112 imparted to the sheet 14 or 126 may be formed simultaneously with the ramming and punching operations.

Turning to FIG. 17, a retail display of conventional storage containers is illustrated. As can be seen in that drawing, each storage container occupies a volume of shelf space corresponding to substantially the entire volume of the storage container. This limits the quantity of storage containers that can be displayed for purchase at a given time, therefore requiring significant time and labor in restocking of the retail display.

As shown in FIG. 18, a comparatively large quantity of containers 12 of the present disclosure can be displayed simultaneously on a retail display, thereby maximizing use of retail display shelf space dedicated to the containers 12, and making room available on the display shelves for other products. Furthermore, rather than pull an entire stack of nested storage containers down from a shelf, remove those desired, and replace the unwanted quantity back on the shelf, a consumer need only pull from the display shelf those containers 12 desired for purchase. The various components of the container 12 of the present disclosure, namely the sheet 14 used to form the base member 10, the rigid rim member 74, 74′, 74″, and the lid 88, may be manufactured in a variety of colors.

As noted above, the sheet 14 used to form the base member 10 can be printed in desired colors or patterns. If the lid 88 is made of a sheet of similar extruded plastic film material, it also can be printed in matching or complementary colors or patterns. Rigid rim members 74, 74′, 74″, can also be made in a variety of colors. The various parts of the container 12 can therefore be marketed for assembly as modular components, which a consumer can mix and match to suit particular tastes, styles, and decors. For instance, a consumer could select a sheet 14 having a first pattern; a two-piece rigid rim member 74′, and a sheet of a second pattern to be used for the lid 88. The two C-shaped members 100, 102 of the rigid rim member 74′ may be selected such that the first C-shaped member 100 has a first color, for example corresponding to one of a plurality of colors within the first pattern on the sheet 14, and the second C-shaped member 102 has a second color, for example corresponding to another of the plurality of colors within the first pattern and/or corresponding to one of a plurality of colors within the second pattern on the sheet used to form the lid 88.

The various components of the containers 12 are also easily stored on a variety of different types of shelves without the need to adjust shelving heights to accommodate them. In order to display existing storage containers such as shown in FIG. 17, retailers may find that shelves of their display racks are too close together to accommodate a stack of existing storage containers, thereby requiring repositioning of one or more of the shelves to increase the vertical distance between the shelves. However, as shown in FIG. 18, the collapsed base member 10 of a number of containers 12 of the present disclosure may be displayed in the same footprint of retail shelf space, without having to reposition any shelves to increase vertical distance between the shelves. A retailer may even find that such a sufficient number of bases 10 can be stacked on a given shelf that an additional intermediate shelf might be added, or shelves might be moved to decrease the vertical distance between them, because the display area can accommodate an even greater amount of related merchandise, such as other components of the containers 12, or unrelated products. The additional display space would also be available to demonstrate versatile uses of the containers and/or the modular manner in which a consumer may mix and match or otherwise select, in a highly customized manner, particular combinations of bases 10, rigid rim members 74, 74′, 74″, and lids 88. Such demonstrations may be achieved using, by way of example, photos, video screens, miniature or full scale physical samples of the components of the container 12, or swatches of the components of the container 12.

Both the light weight of the containers 12 of the present disclosure and their compactness when the sheet 14 is in its collapsed state also significantly reduce freight costs as compared to existing containers, and increase the quantity of container products that can be included in a shipment or truckload, thereby reducing delays in distribution to retailers.

The versatility of the containers 12 of the present disclosure may be enhanced by engaging multiple bases with a single rigid rim member 74, thereby forming a multi-compartment container. For instance, as shown in FIG. 19, two bases 140, 142 of equal size and shape are arranged side-by-side, and a single rigid rim member 74 is applied to an outer perimeter defined by the exposed sides of the two bases 140, 142, forming a container having two compartments of equal volume, with each compartment being defined by one of the bases 140, 142. A lid 88 may be provided on the rigid rim member 74. Alternatively, multiple lids 88 or lids having a split configuration (not shown) may be employed in conjunction with the single rigid rim member 74, so as to provide independent means of access to each respective base 140, 142.

Turning to FIG. 20, two bases 144, 146 of different depths are shown arranged side-by-side, and a single rigid rim member 74 is applied to an outer perimeter defined by the exposed sides of the two bases 144, 146, forming a container having two compartments of unequal volume, with each compartment being defined by one of the bases 144, 146. In FIG. 21, two bases 148, 150 of equal size and shape, and one base 152 of a different depth, are arranged side-by-side, and a single rigid rim member 74 is applied to an outer perimeter defined by the exposed sides of the three bases 148, 150, 152, forming a container having three compartments, two compartments of equal volume, defined by the bases 148, 150, and a third compartment of a different volume, defined by the base 152. A lid 88 may be provided on the rigid rim member 74.

FIG. 22 is a cross-section, broken away, of a rigid rim member 74 engaged with at least two bases. As illustrated therein, the adjacent sidewalls 154, 156 of the two bases are positioned at locations along the rim walls 76 of the rigid rim member 74 not occupied by either any retention tab members 80 or any securement snaps 82, which would prevent direct contact between the them and the adjacent sidewalls 154, 156.

While certain preferred embodiments have been described heroin, variations may be made to the described embodiments which are still within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A container comprising: a base member deployable from at least a collapsed condition wherein the base member is a substantially flat sheet, to a folded condition wherein the base defines a receptacle having a floor and a plurality of sidewalls; a rigid rim member received on an upper exposed edge of said sidewalls; and said rigid rim member adapted to receive a lid thereon.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the rigid rim member includes a plurality of rim walls, a laterally-extending ledge projecting from each of the rim walls, a plurality of securement snaps projecting from each of the rim walls, and a plurality of retention tab members extending downward from a distal end of the laterally-extending ledges, the plurality of retention tab members biasing the sidewalls of the base member into engagement with the securement snaps and against the rim walls of the rigid rim member.
 3. The container of claim 2, wherein the sidewalls of the base are provided with a plurality of apertures near the upper exposed edge thereof, said apertures being complementary to the securement snaps, said apertures facilitating securement of the sidewalls between the rim walls and the retention tab members of the rigid rim member.
 4. The container of claim 1, wherein a first set of the retention tab members and a first set of the securement snaps are spaced a first distance from one another and a second set of the retention tab members and a second set of the securement snaps are spaced a second distance from one another, said second distance being different from the first distance.
 5. The container of claim 4, wherein the first distance accommodates only a single layer of the substantially flat sheet between the first set of retention tab members and the first set of securement snaps.
 6. The container of claim 4, wherein the second distance accommodates a plurality of layers of the substantially flat sheet between the second set of retention tab members and the second set of securement snaps.
 7. The container of claim 3, wherein the retention tab members and securement snaps along two opposing rim walls of the rigid rim member are spaced to accommodate a single layer of the substantially flat sheet therebetween and the retention tab members and securement snaps along the other two opposing rim walls of the rigid rim member are spaced to accommodate a plurality of layers of the substantially flat sheet therebetween.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein the base in the collapsed condition includes a central region bounded by a pair of longitudinal fold lines spaced a predetermined distance from one another, and a pair of latitudinal fold lines spaced a predetermined distance from one another, said central region defining the floor when the base is folded to the folded condition.
 9. The container of claim 2, wherein the base further comprises first and second regions bounded by the latitudinal fold lines and outside of the central region, said first and second regions respectively defining a first and a second of said plurality of sidewalls of the container when the substantially flat sheet is folded to the folded condition.
 10. The container of claim 9, wherein the base further comprises third and fourth regions bounded by the longitudinal fold lines and outside of the central region, said third and fourth regions respectively defining a third and a fourth of said plurality of sidewalls of the container when the base is folded into the folded condition.
 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the base further comprises a plurality of corner areas, each of said corner areas spanning between one of the regions bounded by the longitudinal fold lines and outside of the central region and one of the regions bounded by the latitudinal fold lines and outside of the central region, and wherein each of the corner areas includes a diagonal fold line therein extending from a corner of the central region to a perimeter of the substantially flat sheet.
 12. The container of claim 8, wherein each of the longitudinal fold lines and each of the latitudinal fold lines is a living hinge.
 13. The container of claim 8, wherein each of the longitudinal fold lines and each of the latitudinal fold lines is formed by scoring the base.
 14. The container of claim 13, wherein at least one of the longitudinal fold lines or latitudinal fold lines is scored from a first direction and at least one other of the longitudinal fold lines or latitudinal fold lines is scored from a second direction.
 15. The container of claim 14, wherein when the substantially flat sheet is lying in a horizontal plane, the first direction is above the substantially flat sheet and the second substantially flat sheet is below the horizontal plane.
 16. The container of claim 11, wherein while converting the base to the folded condition, each of the corner areas is folded along the diagonal fold line thereof to form a flap, two of the flaps are folded toward one another along one of an interior side or an exterior side of one of the plurality of sidewalls, and two of the flaps are folded toward one another along one of an interior side or an exterior side of another of the plurality of sidewalls.
 17. The container of claim 1 wherein the substantially flat sheet of which the base is formed is a sheet of extruded plastic film.
 18. The container of claim 1 wherein the substantially flat sheet of which the base is formed is a sheet of fabric having a stiffener additive.
 19. The container of claim 1, wherein the rigid rim member is formed of injection molded plastic.
 20. The container of claim 1, in combination with a lid received on the rigid rim member.
 21. A container comprising: a base convertible from a substantially flat sheet to a three-dimensional receptacle having an exposed upper perimeter; a rigid rim member received on the exposed upper perimeter, said rigid rim including a plurality of securement snaps and a plurality of retention tabs opposing and offset from said securement snaps to secure at least one layer of the substantially flat sheet of the base therebetween.
 22. The container of claim 21, wherein a first set of the retention tab members and a first set of the securement snaps are spaced a first distance from one another and a second set of the retention tab members and a second set of the securement snaps are spaced a second distance from one another, said second distance being different from the first distance.
 23. A container comprising: a base member formed of a substantially flat sheet of extruded plastic film, said substantially flat sheet including a pair of longitudinal fold lines spaced a predetermined distance from one another, a pair of latitudinal fold lines spaced a predetermined distance from one another, said longitudinal and latitudinal fold lines intersecting at four locations on the substantially flat sheet, and a diagonal fold line extending from each intersecting location to a corner of the substantially flat sheet, said substantially flat sheet being foldable along said fold lines to form a three-dimensional container shape having four sidewalls each having an exposed upper edge; and a rigid rim member engaged with the sidewalls at the exposed upper edge of the sidewalls, the rigid rim member having a plurality of rim walls, a laterally-extending ledge projecting from each of the rim walls, a plurality of securement snaps projecting from each of the rim walls, and a plurality of retention tab members extending downward from a distal end of the laterally-extending ledges, the plurality of retention tab members biasing the sidewalls of the base member into engagement with the securement snaps and against the rim walls of the rigid rim member.
 24. The container of claim 23, wherein each of the sidewalls of the base member is provided with a plurality of apertures near the upper exposed edge thereof, said apertures being complementary to the securement snaps, said apertures facilitating securement of the sidewalls between the rim walls and the retention tab members of the rigid rim member.
 25. The container of claim 23, wherein the base member includes a pattern printed thereon.
 26. A container comprising: at least one base member foldable between at least a collapsed condition wherein the at least one base member is a substantially flat sheet, and a folded condition wherein the base defines a receptacle having a floor and a plurality of sidewalls; a rigid rim member received on an upper exposed edge of at least two of said sidewalls of each of the at least one base members; and wherein each of the at least one base members forms a compartment of the container.
 27. The container of claim 26, including at least two of the base members, and wherein one of the base members has a different depth than at least one of the other at least one base members.
 28. The container of claim 26, wherein the rigid rim member includes a plurality of rim walls, a laterally-extending ledge projecting from each of the rim walls, a plurality of securement snaps projecting from each of the rim walls, and a plurality of retention tab members extending downward from a distal end of the laterally-extending ledges, the plurality of retention tab members biasing the at least two sidewalls of each of the at least one base members into engagement with the securement snaps and against the rim walls of the rigid rim member. 